2011 Sightings
Note that recent sightings submitted here may be added to the Bishop's Stortford Bird Group database and may be used to prepare the Group's on-line annual reports (available here). By posting your sightings on the yahoo group email, and here, you are agreeing to contribute to the Group's on-line annual reports and also to help improve the club records submitted to the two (Essex and Hertfordshire) County bird recorders. Please use the following 'Tetrad finder Here' 30th December 2011 Honeysuckle close - TL42Q - male blackcap briefly again today - Graeme J. Smith 29th December Thorley Park Road , B/S this morning - TL41Z - A Treecreeper is very unusual here and would have been garden first if not for the tree being 3 feet outside the garden! - Tony Moverly honeysuckle close, Bishop's Stortford - TL42Q - a male Blackcap in our garden today for a few mins but he didn’t come back. Let's hope he stays for the new yearlist - Graeme J. Smith 28th December Little Hadham - TL42G (TL239266) - Grey Wagtail flew W over the car while waiting at the junction - Graeme J. Smith 27th December River Stort - TL41Z - 17 Little Grebe along R. Stort - Tony Moverley 24th December Sawbridgeworth - Finally today a Kingfisher on my “walking from home” list. Not on the Stort, but on the tributary South brook whizzing past the Scout hut! - John Slee 23rd December Sawbridgeworth - Barn Owl in the usual spot, I’m told there’s another pair at a location just outside Sawbo. It could be the same one, or it might not be! - John Slee 22nd December Spellbrook Lock North to (white) Footbridge 44 along the r. Stort - TL41Y/Z - A minimum of 7 Little Grebe near the white footbridge - Tony Moverly SAL - TL52K - 2 Little Grebe, 56 Teal, 64 Mallard, 2 Gadwall, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Pochard, 14 Coot, 1 Kestrel, 1 Redshank, 12 BH Gull, 2 Green Woodpecker, 5 Pied Wagtail, 1 Fieldfare,1 Jay, 4 Bullfinch - Mike Harris Spellbrook (west) - TL 41Y - 17 Linnet a good site count Thorley Fishing-pit - TL41U - 5 Lapwing, 3 Grey Heron, 40+ Black-headed Gull, c.15 Common Gull and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull. Honeysuckle Close - TL42Q - Red Admiral feeding on flowering Mahonia aquifolium and basking in the sun, behaviour/flowers expected in March/April - Graeme J. Smith 17th December Gt Hadham Rd/west Stort Bypass - TL42Q - c.1400Hrs Male Merlin shot across roundabout on Stortford bypass on Gt Hadham road. Came from St Michaels Mead, across road and into vegetation on corner - Jonothan Forgham Woodpecker Close - TL42Q - Lesser Redpoll feeding for 40 mins in silver birch 30 m south of playpark at end of road. Bird flew nw over stort park around 1530 hrs. Poor photos online later - Graeme J. Smith 16th December Spellbrook (west) - TL41Y - Kingfisher W along the brook and 30+ siskin at lunch while 90-110 goldfinch 'in' after 1530hrs - Graeme J. Smith 15th December Dane Park, Bishop's Stortford - TL42Q - male Blackcap on Cotoneaster berries - Chris Swan 14th December Spellbrook (west) - TL41Y - 3 Moorhen included one flushed from the brook climbed over 15ft up into a tree to hide in some ivy! I think a count of 3 equals my site record! Also 1 Siskin on edge of North Lawn – Darryl Ellis 12th December Spellbrook (west) - TL41Y - 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Bullfinch, 2 Siskin, 12+ Fieldfare and 3 (+) Redwing. 7 of the 'missing' house sparrows were finally found today on the far NE edge of site and appear to have defected to spellbrook farm for the winter - Graeme J. Smith 9th December Mayflower Gardens - TL42Q - Juv Sparrowhawk vising garden again today - Richard Stead Spellbrook west - TL41Y - Finch roosts at Hayter from 1530 Hrs were c.45 Goldfinch into bikeshed roost and 12 Greenfinch in to the canteen roost - Graeme J. Smith 8th December Spellbrook west - TL41Y - Very quiet, a fem/juv kestrel hunting north field and a moorhen on north lawn only birds of note – Graeme J. Smith 4th December Exnalls (North) TL41K - Little Grebe on the water and a Male Stonechat at the bottom of the steps - Jono Forgham Exnalls (North) TL41K - Barn Owl hunting from dawn + photos - Richard Stead 2nd December Exnalls (North) TL41K - Barn Owl at dayroost for 3rd day - Jono Forgham 26th November Southern Country Park - TL 41U (11:00-12:15)Very little really.1F Sparrowhawk, 3 Bullfinch (MMF) - Mike Harris 24th November Spellbrook (west) - TL41Y - Growing numbers of finches at work, 29 (+) Siskin in the Alders all day, 30+ Goldfinch, Chaffinch still just scraping double figures with at least 13 but Greenfinch numbers coming in to canteen roost more than doubled yesterday’s count to 53 birds. Last few roost counts over last week were 1, 3, 23 and 54 last night also 100-150 Fieldfare stripping everything were today joined by 100-120 Starling plus 2 or 3 dozen Redwings. - Graeme J. Smith 22nd November Spellbrook (west) - TL41Y - 30-35 Siskin feeding in hayter entrance alders at 1000 hrs was later found to be harbouring a Lesser Redpoll. Fieldfare still numbering over 100 on site with redwing increasing to 65-70 birds - Graeme J. Smith 20th November Little Canfield Church - TL52V - 17 Grey lag Geese flew N at dusk in V-formation - Mike Harris 19th November Sawbridgeworth - TL41S/X? (12:45-13:00) 1 Common Buzzard at Blounts Farm and c.100 Fieldfare at Great Beazleys - Mike Harris Stort Park- TL42Q - 2 Coal Tit in mixed tit flock, 1 male Sparrowhawk, 1 Grey Wagtail in ditch on West side and over 50 Skylark grounded west of the hill. Only a handful each of Fieldfare and Redwing. - Graeme J. Smith 15th November Spellbrook (west) - TL41Y - Brambling calling for 2nd day among Chaffinch on north end of work land. still no visual ID but will get photos when/if i can. Fieldfare grounded between spellbrook farm, hayter, bursteads and trims green reaching an impressive minimum of 550 birds at 1005 hrs with the largest individual gathering, a group of c180 in the tall trees on spellbrook farm. Also 25+ chaffinch, 50 + Redwing and c.35 Starling. Male Peregrine over SE at 1315 Hrs - Graeme J. Smith 14th November Spellbrook (west) - TL41Y - Brambling calling just Nth from hayter factory - Graeme J. Smith 13th November Hatfield Forest - TL51P - 1 Imm Male Goosander on Lake + Siskin and gadwall - Herts Bird Group Hatfield Forest - TL51P - Imm Male Goosander still at lunch - Richard Stead 11th November Wickham Hall B/S - TL52R - Snow Bunting still - Denis Whiffen 9th November Hatfield Forest - TL52F/52K/51J/51P - 1 Hawfinch - Essex Bird Club 7th November Wickham Hall B/S - TL52R - Snow Bunting still there, very confiding and showing extremely well, at 0915 this morning in the same place as originally seen, i.e. about 100 yards down the gravel road from the junction with the road to the silos. - Chris Swan 6th November Wickham Hall B/S - TL52R - (Wickham Hall looking W from 0620-0800 Hrs) - 719 Woodpigeon SW (some W, S), 254 Starling (c.55 W, c.199 N), 195 Redwing W (some SW and few NW), 186 Fieldfare W (some SW and few NW as redwing), 70 Black-headed Gull N, 41 Chaffinch W (incl 5 S), 37 Skylark S (SW), 32 Common Gull N, 22 Stockdove (5 E, 17 S), 21 Greenfinch (17 W and 4 NW), 18 Golden Plover SW (5, 13), 14 Lesser Black-backed Gull N, 8 (+) BRAMBLING SW, 4 Linnet W, just 3 Goldfinch S, 3 Herring Gull N, 2 Reed Bunting W and a Mute Swan (2nd W) first heading W.... then again back over E 5 mins later? locals included 3 Little Owls (1 Bloodhound Wood, 1 Wickham Hall and 1 Bailey Hills), 1 Tawny Owl male in Bloodhound, Yellowhammers, more goldfinch and corvid roosts heading NE. All notes ceased on arrival of Hugh's superb SNOW BUNTING at 8 o'clock so prob many more Fieldfare, Redwing and Woodpigeon uncounted before leaving at 9 with M and A. Worth mentioning a good number that got away due to great range, too quick etc. c.55 unidentified 'finch sp' almost all W or S included 3 possible calling redpoll W that were not close enough to be 100% sure of ID while unidentified thrush/starlings added up to c.90 birds Wickham Hall, B/S - TL52R - 0800 Hrs: Snow Bunting arrived back at yesterdays spot and showing well - Graeme J. Smith Wickham Hall, B/S - TL52R - 0915 Hrs: Snow Bunting still present - Rare Bird Alert Wickham Hall, B/S - TL52R - 1345 Hrs: Snow Bunting still + 2 Marsh Tit by the paddock - John Slee Wickham Hall, B/S - TL52R - Snow Bunting still - Alan Reynolds 5th November Wickham Hall B/S - TL52R - Hugh Coe saw a Snow Bunting this morning at Wickham Hall, B/S. It was on the gravel farm track that leads from the farm towards Bloodhounds Wood, approx 100 yards from the junction with the road to the silos. Apparently it had been seen previously by the farm manager, who alerted Hugh. - Chris Swan 3rd November Trims Green - 41T -7 Greylag grounded in the early morning fog and 7 Grey Partridge on way home Spellbrook (west) - TL41Y - A good passage today considering only 55 mins observations (1000-1010, 1300-1330 and 1530-1545). c.110 FIELDFARE almost all SW included one flock of 61 birds, 60+ Redwing SW, c.55 Starling S/SW, 250+ Woodpigeon over high S or SW in groups of 25-50 birds, at least 12 Skylark S and 30-35 Chaffinch over between S and SW. (9) Goldfinch W contained at least 1 probable siskin which remained unticked along with a suspected brambling over which was only heard once but was a little distant/high to be 100% sure and no repeat call to suggest direction. Also 23-25 GOLDEN PLOVER putting down at Trims in two seperate groups, 2 (3) Common Buzzard, 1 Bullfinch and 2 (new?) Moorhen around North Lawn. Managed to catch up on my blog after a considerable time behind so todays photos + detail on (snail?) eating crow already online - Graeme J. Smith 1st November Spellbrook (west) - TL41Y - 1 Little Owl calling on arrival at 0615 Hrs soon followed by 14 Pheasant out of the North Orchard roost. Thrush over included a minimum of 10 Redwing, 2 Blackbird, 1 Songthrush and 4 Fieldfare which could easily have been more if not for the darkness. Few species of Finch about before we started with only a couple of Goldfinch out from the bikeshed roost and further arrivals of c.30 Chaffinch over between S and W (mostly SW). Dawn soon kicked in with a break in the cloud cover and we were soon counting Skylark over (only 11), c.20 Starling directly S in three small groups, 30-35 Black-headed Gulls over N, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull N, 1 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL S and at least 7 (+) GOLDCREST were 3 in private gardens South of THE road and at least 4 around the Southern edge of North Lawn and Carpark Wood, 1300 Hrs: 15(+) Redwing SW, 12 Fieldfare (5 around North Lawn and 2, 1, 3, 1 all SW) and at least 9 Common Gull, 13 Black-headed Gull and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull all feeding on NW Field - Graeme J. Smith 29th October Hatfield Forest - TL52F/52K/51J/51P (14:45-16:05) 1 GC Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 1 GL Goose, c.10 Canada Goose, 1M Teal, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 3 Common Gull, c.50 BH Gull, 2 Green Woodpecker, 21 Redwing, 80+ Jackdaw and 20 Greenfinch - Mike Harris 27th October Spellbrook (west) - TL41Y - 76 Starling almost all S but few SW, 9 Fieldfare local (4 eating apples in the Nth Orchard and 5 more along the hedges North from the factory), 57 Redwing SW-W, 35+ Chaffinch S-W, 24 Skylark SW in one flock and 7 GOLDEN PLOVER SE Trims Green - TL41T - an impressive gounded flock feeding on the path at the entrance to Lysander Park included 45+ Chaffinch, 12 House Sparrow, 4 Greenfinch, 7 Yellowhammer, 8 Goldfinch and 2 linnet ( 30 more of these around buildings ). Best was a small party of 7 GREY PARTRIDGE on the other side of the road, my best year here for this sp, shame the same cannot be said about corn bunting... my last around here was in the dying days of February 2011 - Graeme J. Smit 26th October Stansted Airport Lagoons -TL52K - Golden Plover 20, Buzzard 2, Teal 17, Linnet c.20 - Colin Wills 25th October Stansted Airport Lagoons - TL52K - Buzzard 5, Sparrowhawk 2, Grey Wagtail, Fieldfare, Lapwing 6.- Colin Wills Spellbrook (west) - TL41Y - 23 Redwing W (22, 1) and a flock of 56 FIELDFARE at Bursteads in trees at 1540 Hrs, 15+ Skylark S and 14 Starling W - Graeme J. Smit 24th October Spellbrook (west) - TL41Y - 27 Redwing SW, 11 FIELDFARE SW, 340+ STARLING between S and SW, 7 Red-legged Partridge W across fields, over 50 CHAFFINCH included 18 at the Spring just North from Hayter and 26 (+) W, 2 Yellowhammer S, 4 Greenfinch W, 29 STOCKDOVE E, 21 Skylark S, 1 Kestrel and 2 Common Buzzard Exnalls (south) - TL41P - 11 Red-legged Partridge (5, 6), 12 FIELDFARE grounded in field and 1 Kestrel - Graeme J. Smith 23rd October SAL - TL52K -(11:30-12:45) Hunting along the A120 for yesterdays reported RLB, but no luck. 7 Little Grebe, 4 Cormorant (W), 1 Grey Heron, 7 Mallard, 1F Tufted Duck, 9 Coot,4 Common Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 10 BH Gull, 1 1st.W Herring Gull, c.20 Skylark (distant on fields to west, possibly many more), 3 Song Thrush, c.250 Jackdaw (HF birds), c.200 Starling, 1M Chaffinch, 3 Goldfinch, 2 Bullfinch, 1 Reed Bunting - 2 Red Admiral - 4 Migrant Hawker (inclu joined pr) and 1M Ruddy Darter - Mike Harris 22nd October A120(Takeley) - 52K or 52Q - Rough-legged Buzzard seen hovering along the A120 near Takeley at 4.30 pm.- Mike Franklin 21st October Tye Green - TL 41P -Male Tawny Owl calling at 0530 hrs Spellbrook - Little Owl calling in factory around 0610Hrs, at least 6 Goldcrest - Graeme J. Smith 19th October Spellbrook (west) - TL41Y - 4 Crossbill S over Hayter at 1000 Hrs - Graeme J. Smith 18th October Spellbrook - 41Y - Firecrest with blue tits in ivy over bridge between main factory carpark and North Lawn until 1010 hrs at least but not seen during following hrs/days - Graeme J. Smith 17th October Stort Park- 42Q - My first fieldfares of the season this moring with 4 looking to put down in the tallest trees in stort park east before changing their mind and heading off ne - Graeme J. Smith 16th October Stortford Park Farm – TL42Q (1430-1730 hrs) - Ad Yellow-legged Gull briefly putting down on field NW from the hill on stort park west today with half a dozen lbbgs (total for this afternoon c.65), also a total of 29 common gull s between 110+ bhgs and a lone gbbg, no herring. skylark still coming through s/se with over 40 heard if not all seen. no winter thrush and no sign of y'days red kite but a little owl in the 'island' 100 yards wnw of the entrance roundabout called occasionally, 3 cmn buzzard and 2 kestrel - Graeme J. Smith 15th October Pishiobury Park – TL41W (15:00-17:00) - 1 Grey Heron, 1 Cormorant (N), 6 Common Buzzard (all East of park), 4 GS Woodpecker, 1 Phyllosc sp., 13 Long tailed Tit, 20 Goldfinch – Mike Harris Pishiobury Park - TL41W - 1 distant male Sparrowhawk. SLRS - TL41W - I went looking for Owls later, and heard Little Owl calling in the vicinity of the old scrape, which is still overgrown. My first record for the area. - John Slee 13th October SAL - TL52K (16:30-17:00) - 6 Little Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, 17 Mallard, 1M Wigeon (eclipse), 1 Tufted duck, 12 Coot, 54 BH Gull, 1 Common Gull, 1 LBB Gull, 4 Pied Wagtail (S, to roost), 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Song Thrush (high W), 1 Redwing, 1 Phyllosc sp. 1 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Reed Bunting Little Canfield Church - TL52V (17:30-18:00) - 1 Kestrel, c.100 Golden Plover, 2 Lapwing, 5 Swallow (E), 5+ Skylark, 5 Meadow Pipit, 32 Greenfinch, 2 Reed Bunting – Mike Harris SAL - TL52K- Buzzard 3, Kingfisher, Wigeon, Teal 5, Skylark c.20 - Colin Wills 12th October Spellbrook (west) - TL41Y - 2 redwing over before dawn. - Graeme J. Smith 11th October Hayter, Spellbrook (west) - TL41Y - 73 chaffinch, 29 starling, 26 REDWING, 13 skylark, 11 linnet, 2 greenfinch and 1 goldfinch. wind too strong for mipits? None seen or heard although 2 (3) chiffchaff and 9 GOLDCREST - Graeme J. Smith 9th October Stort park - TL42Q - 2 siskin flushed near east edge pond early this afternoon and later 3 REDPOLL all very low over South between 30+ each of meadow pipits and Skylark - Graeme J. Smith 6th October Stansted Airport Lagoons - TL52K - Greenshank, Grey Wagtail, House Martin - Colin Wills 3rd October Sawbridgeworth – TL41X - Crossbill One over Nursery fields 10.40 - Laurence Drummond 2nd October Wall wood - TL51J - Red poll sp 3 also Nuthatch, Goldcrest and Tawny owl - Laurence Drummond